2017 Renault Duster 1.5 DCI Dynamique 4WD – Much tougher than you’d think

By Ané Theron

The Duster is an important vehicle for Renault, as it makes up a fat chunk of their passenger vehicle sales. But what about the most capable Duster of all, the flagship 2017 Duster 1.5 DCI Dynamique 4WD? Coming in at just over 300K (at the time this article was first written), how robust can it be? More importantly: do Duster-owners really now what this humbly priced, four-wheel-driven little Frenchman is capable of?

To remind us of its off-the-beaten-track aspirations, and introduce us to a few new features, a group of us flew to Renault Head Office in Gauteng, to drive the Dusters to the eastern Free State on every conceivable surface.

Red Bull gives you wings…

On Friday morning we start off on Bruma Lake’s smooth city tar, then move on to potholed, patchy tar near Heilbron. After a few hours we swap the potholes for a dirt road which has seen its fair share of angry farmers hurrying in Hiluxes. Upon taking a wrong slipway earlier, we are now pressed for time, and when I look up from the route map, I find my fiancé driving the Duster like those abovementioned short-tempered farmers might.

Since Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is a standard safety feature, and the selector dial is set to auto-4x4-mode, there isn’t a skidding wheel in sight, only a silly grin plastered across his face. I think he was having a ‘Mr. Dakar’ (aka Stéphane Peterhansel) - moment, but since I don’t condone fast driving at all (especially not on slippery dirt or gravel), I tell him off immediately and he behaves himself, albeit with a ‘you’re-kinda-killing-my-vibe-here’- expression on his face. The speed limit on dirt roads in SA is no faster than 80 km per hour. (The Duster also has ABS, EBD and four airbags just in case.)

After lunch in a hot and humid Lindley, it’s my turn to take the wheel. After a short stretch on dilapidated tar, we hit another dirt road, in even poorer condition than the one before, and again the Duster is as stable and sure of itself as Dr. Phil at a women’s self-help convention. When we reach our hotel in Clarens that night, I am rubbing my hands with glee when I envision the Rebellie 4x4 Trail we’re tackling the next day. So far the Duster is even better than I remember.

Get your 4x4 on

After a hearty Free State breakfast, we drive to the start of the trail, where we all shift to full 4x4-mode and disable the traction control. “Keep the revs between 1500 and 2000 rpm when you climb the obstacles”, Fires van Vuuren (ex-cop and full-time 4x4-guru) advises. “Don’t go too fast, but don’t go too slow, and keep your momentum on the way up.”

It’s a fine line between those variables, but every single Duster makes it to the top. Considering the Rebellie trail’s difficulty grading of 3-5, everyone is reminded why the little Frenchman has been silently laughing in the faces of Toyota Prado- and Mitsubishi Pajero owners, who scoffed at the Duster’s compact 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine at first. The Duster itself is small in stature compared to these big boys, and it sure helps when you’re manoeuvering it around large boulders and deep dongas on a narrow ledge, with a 1500-metre drop to the side. (My fear of heights was also conquered sufficiently on this weekend.)

A light sipper

Despite keeping the Duster in first or second gear (with the wheels locked into four-wheel drive) for the entire 3-hour journey, our fuel consumption was a low 7.2 litres per 100 km - and that was with a heavy gazebo neatly folded in the generous 475-litre boot. The aforementioned Prados or Land Cruisers certainly cannot boast consumption figures like this. (Apples compared to oranges, I know, but is that overgrown orange a necessity?)

In 2WD back to the airport on Sunday, we attained a frugal figure of 6.8 litres per 100 km.

A lot for less

The do-it-all Duster is not without its faults, but remember – you certainly are paying very little for it, if you consider where it can take you without flinching. The cabin has its fair share of hard plastics, but it’s bolted-together well. It’s also notable that there wasn’t a creak or rattle to be heard, after the previous two days of constant abuse.

There’s quite a bit of road and wind noise inside the cabin, and that 7-inch MediaNav touchscreen is not very ergonomically placed – it’s a little low and not quite in the driver’s field of vision. However, the system itself (standard with TomTom satnav) is intuitive and simple to use. It also keeps you in the know of the current speed limit and will ‘ping’ loudly of you go over it. A rearview camera (and rear parking sensors) are now standard fare, and whether you’re reversing out of a parking space in the congested city, or down an obstacle you didn’t quite nail on the first attempt, it certainly helps you keep your cool. Satellite controls have been added onto the steering wheel for your convenience, and a cruise control button has been placed on the centre fascia.

Are we buying it?

At the time this article was written, the 4WD Duster was the fourth-cheapest true 4x4 for sale in SA, and it completely outshines the competition in this price range. I have always been a fan of its look, and the new wheel design, chrome detailing and refreshed bumper add a nice bit of extra zing.

With so much going for it in terms of spec, space and capability, is there really a reason for spending over half-a-million Rand on a shiny Japanese giant, apart from the whole image-thing and the need to tow a large caravan or boat on occasion? I’d rather spend less on a car and have cash to travel more. And at R304 900, the 4WD Duster makes this a distinct possibility.